The Canadian Jewish Shmooze

If you haven't heard: The CJN is shutting down, which means this podcast is going on indefinite hiatus. For now, we'll call it goodbye. Hear the paper's staffers share their fondest memories, and listen to an interview with Dr. Daniel Kalla about COVID-19, in this (for now?) final episode of the Canadian Jewish Shmooze. Feel free to keep in touch: find Michael on Twitter @mfraiman, and Alex @alexmrose. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by...

In this special work-from-home edition, Michael and Alex discuss how COVID-19 has affected religious and artistic Jewish institutions. Also, they ask whether Hunters, Amazon's new and painfully Jewish show, is worth binging during your self-isolation. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on Facebook and follow us on...

We've got a major announcement in today's episode: co-host Alex Rose, sadly, is leaving the show. Fortunately, we couldn't be happier with his replacement, Ella Burakowski, who joins in-studio to recall her favourite memories of Canada's queen of kosher cuisine, Norene Gilletz. Plus: Michael interviews musician and composer Adi Berkovits about his upcoming concert, an homage to his father's journey home from Auschwitz. Note: In this episode, Ella mistakenly calls the book co-authored by...

Some say the Democratic presidential frontrunner is bad for the Jews. Or at least bad for Israel. Or maybe even a self-hating Jew! Is he any of these things? And speaking of international politics: What's the story with Israel's impending third election? On this all-politics episode, our guest is Yoni Belete, a former staffer at the Israeli embassy in Ottawa, who helps breaks down the ongoing political issues foremost on Jewish minds. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael...

Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century" is proving to be little more than a hollow marketing campaign. To better understand the situation from the Israeli perspective, Etery Podolsky, a Russian-Israeli graphic designer at The CJN, joins Michael and Alex to offer her take on the plan's value. Plus: Hear an excerpt from our new podcast, Kol Avrum, where host Avrum Rosensweig sits down with Syrian refugee Aboud Dandachi to chat about Syrians' perceptions (and misconceptions) of Israelis. -- The...

The CJN Podcast Network is launching four new shows! In this episode, Avrum Rosensweig, Rebecca Eckler, Dan Aviv and Noah Liebtag personally introduce themselves and their programs, which will feature lengthy interviews, culinary investigations and celebrations of our community. Also on this episode, Ella Burakowski talks about her Holocaust advocacy work and our roundtable debates the big question: Do Jews need to worry about the board game "Secret Hitler"? The Canadian Jewish Shmooze...

This year, an anti-semitism watchdog organization voted Ilhan Omar "anti-semite of the year." But... is she really? Plus, Michael and Alex flip through the pages of history to commemorate 60 years of The CJN. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Related Links From Yoni’s Desk: Unity...

In our final episode of 2019, we invite CJN editor Yoni Goldstein, advice columnist Ella Burakowski and reporter Ron Csillag to discuss their favourite stories of the year. Scroll down to read their picks. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Yoni's Picks From Yoni’s Desk: Overturning...

Mark Breslin, founder of Yuk Yuk’s, chats about the evolution of comedy, the death of Jewish delis and why, despite the controversy, he booked Louis C.K. for a week of sold-out shows in Toronto. Plus: Alex breaks down a violent protest at York University, where supporters of Israel and Palestine exchanged words and fists. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché...

The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Should Jews hold a grudge against a man whose grandfather was Rudolf Hoess, the Nazi commander of Auschwitz? Alex interviewed the infamous Nazi's grandson for The CJN, and reports back about what he learned. Plus: Avrum Rosensweig, host of the longform interview podcast Hatradio!, joins to chat about his podcast and the results of the Canadian election. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk,...

On this week's edition of the The Canadian Jewish Shmooze, Alex and special guest host Joe Fish speak to Zack Babins, a political consultant and former parliamentary staffer, about Jewish stories in the upcoming Canadian Federal Election. Stick around for Zack's debate with CJN copy editor Jesse Kline, and for the discussion on whether Jews need to worry about the Conservative Party's targeted flyers to Jewish people. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose,...

As veganism grows worldwide, all sorts of Jews and Israelis are joining the movement. Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin, the new associate rabbi at Beth Tzedec, joins in-studio to discuss her personal path to veganism and how it figures into a Jewish lifestyle. Also: a discussion of Spain's new right of return for Sephardic Jews, and parsing Conservative leader Andrew Scheer's foreign-policy stance towards Israel and Palestine. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose,...

There was plenty of Jewish cinema at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, so cinephile and CJN online editor Leora Heilbronn joins in the studio to chat about a few of the big titles, including Jojo Rabbit, The Vigil, The Painted Bird, Lyrebird and Incitement. They also discuss two recent instances of anti-Semitism: more than one politician in New Jersey using "Jew" as a verb, and Shane Gillis's four-day career as a star on Saturday Night Live. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is...

Emily Nussbaum is the TV critic at The New Yorker. She's won a Pulitzer Prize and has a new book of essays and profiles out called I Like to Watch, and will be coming to give a talk at the Toronto Reference Library on Oct. 16. She joins Michael for an in-depth chat about the current state of Jewish TV, why The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is overrated, and why so many people freakin' love Shtisel. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael...

Do Jews really need to worry about the possibility of Palestinian-American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib being in Israel? Hosts Michael and Alex pose the question to writer Dave Hazzan, who also chats about his recent CJN essay on the difficult double life of being a patrilineal Jew. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on...

When our ancestors were exiled from the Holy Land, they lost an important physical – and spiritual – connection to the religion. This week’s guest is Kinneret Kim Dubowitz, an Orthodox yoga instructor who explains how bringing movement back into Judaism can help bridge a spiritual gap felt by many modern Jews. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like...

The court battle aiming to push Canada's federal election to accommodate observant Jews is heating up. CJN intern reporter Ben Barak hit the streets to hear public opinion on the case, and he joins podcasts hosts Alex and Michael in studio to chat about what he found out. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted by Michael Fraiman and Alex Rose, and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Vanya Zhuk, and our outro music is by Latché Swing. Like The CJN Podcast Network on...

Is it okay for non-Jews to play Jews on TV? Can politicians make amends for old anti-Semitic tweets? Special guest Natalie Norman — a comedian, storyteller and self-described “plus-sized Jewess” — joins in-studio to chat about those topics and her career. Catch a sneak preview of her raunchy debut comedy album, The Big Reveal, and learn how she balances a comic’s downtown lifestyle with her own mental health and a surprisingly spiritual Jewish life. The Canadian Jewish Shmooze is hosted...

The CJN office is coming up on a summer vacation, so the Canadian Jewish Shmooze and Menschwarmers are taking a couple weeks off. But when we get back, we've got some exciting news — The CJN Podcast Network is growing.